15 – 28 Days Later (2002)

28 Days Later starts off with an ecological Greenpeace type group raiding an animal lab. They smash open cages containing monkeys, disregarding the scientists pleas and warnings that they must be caged. “They are infected!” they keep on shouting. “Infected with what?” one activist finally asks. “Rage!” is the answer. At which point the monkeys break out of the cages going berserk, biting left right and center. It’s a scene that starts off well, and ends with a bit of a “…what? Infected with …rage?” And that is a great explanation of the movie. It starts well, does some great things, but the climax is a bit … out of left field I would say. Not enough to ruin the movie, by any means, but it’s there nonetheless…

I must admit to not being a fan of zombie movies, or horror flicks in general. I have not watched that many, nor do I really have that much of a desire to. In fact, the only real reason I picked up this one was because Danny Boyle had directed it, and I wanted to see some of his movies, never having seen any of his before. And I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by and large. He has made a movie here that works on many levels, horror, action, and certainly a drama. We relate to the characters, and we desperately want them to survive the “Rage Virus” which turns people into zombie-like creatures intent for blood that is the centerpiece of the move.

Cillian Murphy as the lead character is haggard and lean. This was his biggest movie yet, and the one that brought him to the attention to most people. He plays with a naturalism that admirably suits the movie. Brendan Gleeson is greatly suited to his role, and so are the rest of the cast for the most part.

Danny Boyle shot the movie in DV and in mainly natural light; he was going for a natural feel. For the most part that effect is achieved. However, once in a while he goes nuts with weird angle shots that in some ways ruin that feel. Some of the plot points, and the climax of the movie also are a tad “out-there”, which sends the natural feel spiraling out of the window. However, the rest of it is so good that it holds up better than I thought it would.

OVERALL

28 Days Later is a pretty good movie, and certainly is a new look at the “zombie” genre. Recommended to anyone with a stomach for such movies.